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UNITED STATES PATENT l OEEICEe PHILIP T. DODGE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE MERGENTIIALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-JUSTIFYING MVECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,439, dated August 11, 1896. Application lled November 28,1892. Serial No. 453,328. (No model.)

To @ZZ Ll/71,0711, if may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP T. DODGE, of lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Type-Justifying Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for effecting the justification or spacingout of composed lines of type-matrices or typedies to a predetermined length.

In the Mergenthaler linotype-machines and in other analogous machines, it is the custom to assemble a line of matrices containing typecharacters in the order in which the characters are to be printed, together with intermediate spaces, between two jaws or abutments at a fixed distance apart, and thereafter to justify the line by increasing the width of the individual spaces. Many attempts have been made to use for this purpose long spaces increasing in thickness step by step from one end to the other, so that by advancing` them endwise through the line they would present an increasing thickness therein, and thus effect the justification or elongation of the line. In order to maintain the -parallelism of the matrices adjacent to the spaces, the latter were made with sections or steps equal in length to the matrices. As the length of the spaces was necessarily limited, it followed that the steps in order to effeet the required extent of elongation of the line were necessarily made at considerable height, or, in other words, each section or step made of considerably greater thickness than the preceding one. As lines of print commonly contain from eight to twenty spaces, each advance of the series of spaces represented the addition of a considerable length to the line. Frequently this addition was greater than the space remaining to be filled, and consequently it .was impossible to advance the spaces equally, or to operate them in unison by a pushing device common to the series. It was therefore necessary to employ complicated` mechanisms for advancing certain of the spaces independently of the others, in order to properly fill out the line.

My present invention is intended to overcome the difficulty attending the use of stepped spaces; and it consists of a series of spaces, each space having its steps alternated in relation to those of the next, so that when a series of spaces thus formed is advanced through the line step by step certain of the spaces will act to increase Athe line at one movement and then become inactive at the next movement, while the other spaces are in turn increasing the length of the line. By thus using a series of spaces, which, although moving in unison, act alternately to expand the line, I am enabled to throw into the line at each movement a small amount of space, and thus I am able in every instance to ad- Vance the spaces until the line is completely and tightly filled out to required length.

I have represented in the accompanying drawings my spaces as adapted for use in the familiar Mergenthaler linotype-machine, but it is to be understood that they may be used in like manner with any form of machine in which type-matrices or type-dies are assembled in line, and that they may be operated singly or in series by mechanism of any suitable character.

Figure l shows spaces constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the matrices adapted for use with the spaces. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the manner in which the spaces are employed to justify a line of matrices.

Referring to the drawings, A', A2, and A3 represent the spaces each in the form of a long bar, preferably in one piece, with supporting-ears at the upper end and increasing in thickness step by step from the upper to the lower end,

B B represent the matrices with which the spaces are to be used. They may in all respect-s be of ordinary construction, each in the form of a flat plate of metal with the intaglio character or matrix proper in'one edge. The spaces are constructed each with its steps or sections (except, in some cases, those at the ends) of double the length of the matrices. Every alternate space in the series is constructed with its steps out of line with those on the adjacent spaces, as represented in Figs. l, 3, and 4, the ends of each step or section on `vone space coming in line with the middle of the steps or sections of the adjacent spaces. It follows as a result of this construction that IOO when the alternated spaces are arranged in the line of matrices, as shown in Fig. 3, and then advanced step by step through the line, each advance equal to the length of the matrix, the line will be increased at each movement by one part of the spaces. For example, during one advance the spacesA and A2 Will present thicker portions in the line and increase its len gtl1,wl1ile the remaining spaces will slide through the line Without increasing its length. At the next advance the spaces A and A2 Will continue through the line Without affecting the justification, While the remaining spaces will introduce an increased thickness. Thus it is that I am enabled to advance the entire series of spaces While increasing the length oi' the line at each movement by less than the Whole number of spaces.

The mechanism for advancing the spaces through the line may be of any suitable character. It is to be understood that While I prefer to advance the spaces simultaneously they may be advanced one or more at a time.

It is to be observed that in the operation of my spacing devices the primary object is the expansion of the line by the ,action of less than the entire number of spaces in the line at one time, and that this is attained by the variant location of 'steps on the different spaces with respect to their ends, so that, although the entire series of spaces may be advanced simultaneously and equally, th ey Will not all enter steps into the line at one time.

I do not claim the introduction of spaces, like in form and size, unequal distances into the line, and their subsequent advancement one at a time to enter their steps into the line successively, as described in the application of Ottmar Mergenthaler, Serial No. 481,339, nor do I claim the successive advancement of stepped spaces into the line as described in the Mergenthaler applications, Serial Nos. 485,553 and 481,454, my invention being restricted to a system in which steps enter the line successively, although the spaces are advanced simultaneously.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A series of elongated stepped spaces, the corresponding steps of the diiere'nt spaces being alternately arranged in relation to each other and to the end of the spaces, whereby the spaces are adapted to act alternately in clon gating the line, although advanced simultaneously therethrough.

2. In combination with a series oi' matrices, a series of spaces, each having steps of alength greater than the matrices,whereby each space is adapted to slide through the line a limited distance Without increasing the length of the line.

3. In combination with a series of matrices a series of elongated spaces, each having a series of steps longer than the matrices, the different spaces having their corresponding steps arranged in alternate relations to each other substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a justifying mechanism a series of stepped spaces, differentiated as to the longitudinal location of their corresponding steps, thus permitting the simultaneous advance of all the spaces While the j ustifcation is effected by a portion only of the number, at one time.

5. In a justifying mechanism and in combination with a composed line of matrices, a series of elongated stepped spaces mounted therein, and adapted to be advanced simultaneously by a pusher device, the corresponding steps of different spaces being located at different distances from the end of the spaces, thus causing the spaces to act alternately in the expansion of the line as they are advanced equally therethrough.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 29th day of October, 1892, in the presence of tWo attesting Witnesses.

PHILIP T, DODGE. lVitnesses:

XVARREN S. CHASE, URUTCHFIELD.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 565,439.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in Letters Patent No. 565,489, granted August 1l, 1896, upon the application of Philip T. Dodge, of Washington, District of Columbia, for an improvement in Type-Justifying Mechanism,7 should have been of New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey, instead of the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, of New York, N. Y.; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction described and specified as The Mergenthaler Linotype Company,

therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Ottioe.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 25th day of August, A.. D. 1896.

[SEAL] JNO. M. REYNOLDS,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

Countersigned S. T. FIsHER, v

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

